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Cross Country 1999

9/25/99 at Charlotte NC

The Event - Divisions - Schedule - Entry Fees - SanctionsAwards
Participating Schools - Course - Temperature - Shoes - Travel Expenses
Hotels - Special Events - Entry Deadlines - Send Entries To  

EVENT 

The Great American Cross-Country Festival is the inaugural running of a 10 race crosscoun try festival to be held at McAlpine Green way Park in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, September 25, 1999. The event is projected to have over 1,000 participants and will feature the Great American Race of Champions, open to invited elite high school teams and runners from around the nation.

DIVISIONS 

Girls Great American Race of Champions - 5k Cross-Country Race for elite girls high school teams and national class individuals. Field limited to only 12 to 16 teams, plus invited individuals. 1-3 teams trom North Carolina, 1-3 teams from Virginia, 1-3 teams from South Carolina, 1-3 teams from Tennessee, 2-3 teams from Georgia, 2-3 teams from Florida and 5-8 teams of national class ability from outside the region.

Boys Great American Race of Champions - 5k Race for elite boys high school teams and national class individuals. Field limited to only 12 to 16 teams, plus invited individuals and the host school. Projected field to include: 3 teams from North Carolina, 2-3 teams from Virginia, 1-2 teams from South Carolina, 1-2 teams from Tennessee, 2-3 teams from Georgia, 2-3 teams from Florida and 4-Steams of national class ability from outside the region.

Adult Open - 5K cross-country race open to all runners. Age groups 24 and under, 25- 29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70 & over. Field limited to 300 runners. (This race is not sanctioned by any high school association. Runners of high school age and younger are requested to participate in the sanctioned high school races, junior high races and lower school races.)

High School Girls' Open 5K Cross-Country Run. Race #2, 8:00a.m. - (open to invited developing high school girls' teams): Field limited to 30 teams.

High School Boys' Open 5K Cross-Country Run. Race #3, 8:30a.m. - (open to invited developing high school boys' teams).' Field limited to 30 teams.

High School Girls' 5K Invitational. Race #4, 9:00a.m. - (open to the top 10 girls'teams in their respective states).' Field limited to 20 teams.

High School Boys' 5K Invitational. Race #5, 9:30a.m. - (open to the top 10 boys'teams in their respective states): Field limited to 20 teams.

Junior Varsity Girls' 5K Cross-Country Run. Race #8,11 :OOa.m. (open to teams consisting primarily of 9th and 10th graders or any high school girls' team which has a team in the High School Invitational, Open, or the Race of Champions): Field limited to 30 teams.

Junior Varsity Boys' 5K Cross-Country Run. Race #9,11:30 a.m. (open to teams consisting primarily of 9th and 10th graders or any high school boys' team which has a team in the High School Invitational, Open, or the Race of Champions): Field limited to 30 teams.

Middle School Girls 5K Cross-Country Run. Race #10, 12 noon (for girls in 6th, 7th and 8th grades): Field limited to 300 runners.

Middle School Boys 5K Cross-Country Run. Race #11, 12:30 p.m. (for boys in 6th, 7th and 8th grades): Field limited to 300 runners.

Elementary School 1 mileISK Cross-Country Run. Race #12, 1:00p.m. (for boys and girls in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades): Field limited to 600 runners.

SCHEDULE 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1999 

Starting Line Race Division Check-In StartTime 

#1 OpenAdult5K 7:15a.m. 7:30a.m. 
#2 HS Girls' Open 5K 7:45 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 
#3 HSBoys'OpenSK 8:15a.m. 8:30a.m. 
#4 HS Girls' Invitational 5K 8:45 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 
#5 HS Boys' Invitational 5K 9:15a.m. 9:30a.m. 
#6 HS Girls' Race of Champions 9:50a.m. 10:00a.m. 
#7 HS Boys' Race of Champions 10:15a.m. 10:30a.m. 
#8 JVGirls'5K 10:45a.m. 11:00a.m. 
#9 JVBoys'5K 11:15a.m. 11:30a.m. 
#10 Middle School Girls' 5k 11:00a.m. 12:00a.m. 
#11 Middle School Boys' 5K 11:30 a.m. 12:30 a.m. 
#12 Elementary Boys'IGirls' 1 MileI5K 12:00p.m. 1:00p.m.

ENTRY FEES

 $50 for the first team (7 runners) entered by a school; $35 for a second team entered by the school; and $15 for all additional teams entered by the school. Maximum fee per school for teams entered is $100. Individual runners will be placed in races, other than the Race of Champions, by the Selection Committee. The fee for runners not making up a team is $5 per person. (As an example, if a school enters a Varsity Boys' Team, a Varsity Girls' Team, a JV Boys' Team, and a JV Girls' team, the total school fee is $100. If the school has additional runners that would not make a full team, they will be eligible to run in a division determined by the Selection Committee, and a fee of $5 per runner will be assessed. 
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: GREAT AMERICAN CROSS_COUNTRY FESTIVAL, INC.

SANCTIONS 

High Schools - All high school races will be sanctioned by the National High School Athletic Federation and by the governing bodies of each state. All competing high school teams must be a member of thefr state high school association, which are members of the National Federation. All high school teams and high school individuals must be certified as eligible to compete for their respective schools by their principals. North Carolina Independent Schools are not eligible to compete.

The Great American Cross-Country Festival's Sanctioning Committee will manage the sanctioning process and will notify your school when sanctions have been received or denied.

PARTICIPATING STATES/SCHOOLS

 The Great American Cross-Country Festival is being recognized as one of the nation's best high school running events. As of April 1,1999, teams from 16 states, including 20 state championship teams, have committed to our festival. Both the girls' and boys' elite Race of Champions will have many of the nation's top ranked teams and may determine the number one ranking in the nation.

COURSE

The McAlpine Green way Park Course is a dedicated cross-country surface that is fast and flat with one moderate hill located just after 2.2k. The course winds along creeks, around lakes, and between ponds and beaver dams. Approximately 2 miles of the the race can be seen by active spectators. The running surface consists generally of a 10 foot-wide crushed stone path, thus creating a fast track for front runners. Approximately half of the race will be under a canopy of early fall trees.

TEMPERATURE 

Based on temperature levels for the past five years, the normal high for September 25 is 79 degrees and the normal low is 59 degrees. The average daily high is generally achieved by mid-afternoon. Temperature during the races should range from the low to upper 60s.

SHOES 

The McAlpine course is primarily crushed stone surface. Spikes and shoes with plastic plates typically do not work well on this course. Shoes without spikes are recommended. If spikes are used, they should be with full rubber soles and fully tested prior to the run.

AWARDS 

Great American Race of Champions - High quality, classic medals awarded to the top 25 in both boys and girls races. Great American Cross Country Festival Silver Trophy awarded to top three individuals in both boys and girls and to top three teams. Limited Edition I-shirts also awarded to the top 10 individuals.

High School Open - Medals to top 15 in both boys and girls races. Great American CrossCountry Festival Silver Trophy awarded to top three teams.

Junior Varsity - Medals to the top 7 in both boys and girls races. Great American Cross- Country Festival Silver Trophy awarded to top three teams.

Middle School - Medals to the top 10 in both boys and girls races. No team championship. Elementary - Medals to the top 10 in both boys and girls races. No team championship.

Open Adult - Medals to the top 10 in both mens and women's divisions. Great American Cross-Country Festival Silver Trophy awarded to top three individuals in both men's and women's races. Medals and Limited Edition T-shirts also awarded to the top 3 in each age group.

TRAVEL EXPENSES 

The Great American Cross-Country Festival is committed to maintaining the highest level of competition while treating all teams fairly. The committee has, therefore, assumed that teams and individuals living over 350 miles from Charlotte could not reasonably travel to Charlotte without missing school time or would be at a disadvantage because of the cost of airfare or extended ground transportation travel time of 6 or more hours. Consequently, all invited high school teams and high school individuals traveling more than 350 miles will be reimbursed for airfare. No teams within a 350 mile drive of Charlotte will be reimbursed for travel.

HOTELS 

Hotel rooms have been blocked for The Great American Cross-Country Festival. Rates range from $65 to $99 per room. Please call JenneyTuccio at 704-551-2202 for room reservation details, after May 15,1999. Rooms will be filled on a first come first filled basis.

SPECIAL EVENTS 

On Friday evening, September 24, the Great American Cross-Country Festival will host a dinner and panel discussion. Coaches and Athletes will be invited to join our former Olympians, World Record Holders and All-Americans. We'll share current training philosophies, winning race strategies, and special memories in an informal session everyone is sure to remember.

Race Day will be unlike any other high school cross-country meet. Your team will be escorted to the competition, they'll arrive at a true festival venue. Music, entertainment and announcers will elevate our sport to its rightful place. Simply stated, your athletes are going to feel special.

ENTRY DEADLINES 

Open Adult, Open High School, Junior Varsity, Middle School and Elementary School
entries will be accepted after April 1, 1999 and will close when the field has been filled but not later than September 1, 1999.

Invited Individuals and Teams, Race of Champions -- The Festival selection committee will select Boys and Girls Great American Race of Champions participants based on team and individual performances during the 1998 cross country season and the early 1999 outdoor track season. Our criteria includes, but is not limited to: returning runners, finish in respective state cross country championships, and national rankings as indicated by Harrier Magazine.

Letters to determine interest and qualifications from prospective teams and individuals will be sent to prospective teams and individuals in February and March 1999. Letters of Interest must be returned to the selection committee, post marked by April 1, 1999. Formal Invitations will be submitted in early April from the best qualified teams.

SEND ENTRIES

To: 
Great American Cross-Country Festival c/o Hill Partners, Inc. 6101 Carnegie Boulevard Suite 155 Charlotte, NC 28209

Fields for all races other than the Boys and Girls Race of Champions will be limited and will be filled on a "first come, first served" basis. The Boys and Girls Race of Champions will be limited to elite teams and elite runners, plus runners from the host school.

 

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